Comments on: KC-X Decision!…Not

By: az bookkeeping

az bookkeeping — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:45:52 +0000

Northrup has done well with dusting off old designs — they did the same with the B-2, didn’t they?

By: GM Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RET

GM Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RET — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:35:03 +0000

For Lu: Marine One should be a VIP Osprey.
And the a330 is flying corrosion trap junkpile.

By: Frank Shuler

Frank Shuler — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:51:05 +0000

It’s EADS. –Frank

By: NTV

NTV — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:28:35 +0000

> If Boeing wins, I would expect them to
> immediately propose a 777, 787, or even 747–8
> to replace the KC-10’s.
There are plans for future follow contracts called KC-Y and KC-Z. The KC-Y will replace the KC-10 and the KC-Z will replace the rest of the 135’s.

By: Vince

Vince — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:47:19 +0000

The problem with using foreign parts for the military is that the first time the Europeans disagree with our military politics try and get support for the aircraft they build!!!

By: nb

nb — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:48:28 +0000

I’m still trying to figure out if you want a few big tankers that can carry a lot of fuel but be in few places, or more smaller tankers that can be in more places. I wonder if its an issue to have more eggs in one basket with each larger aircraft?
If Boeing wins, I would expect them to immediately propose a 777, 787, or even 747–8 to replace the KC-10’s.

By: George Skinner

George Skinner — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:21:16 +0000

Cargo capacity is fairly important for tankers. The Air Force uses tanker cargo capacity to enable units to self-deploy quickly: load ground equipment, spares, and personnel on board the tanker, and then use the tanker to refuel aircraft en-route. The KC-135 has relatively little cargo capacity, but the KC-10 has proven very useful.

By: Pedro

Pedro — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:26:57 +0000

The ability to lift LESS fuel over a SHORTER range is a WAR LOSING WEAPON that suggests the A330 will win.
The cancelation of the C5 engine upgrade program last week is also a good pointer — A330s carry a lot of freight!

By: George SKinner

George SKinner — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:13:42 +0000

Despite being partnered with Northrop-Grumman, the KC-30 is still a European product. Toyota and Honda have car assembly plants in North America, but I think most people wouldn’t consider them American cars. Same thing with the KC-30 — the real value-added component(design and engineering) is done in Europe. Assembly jobs pay well, but without the design component, they don’t provide a long-lived economic benefit. That’s why truly domestic manufacturers are usually preferred. This is all irrespective of the quality of the product, of course.

By: SgtF

SgtF — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:11:23 +0000

Fords and Chevys? I if he walks through the parking lot at work with his eyes shut. (I see plenty of European and Japanese makes in mine.) Not that it really has anything to do with the central point– I expect an Boeing buy as much as anyone else simply on these grounds. T’hell with EADS, anyway.